Grants - Section 6 Traditional Grants to States

Indiana 2008 Grant Proposal

Conservation Strategy for Indiana’s Federally Listed and Candidate Plant Species

STATE: Indiana
DATES: 1/1/2008-12/31/2009

NEED:
Indiana’s six federally listed and candidate plant species occur on a variety of land ownerships, including federal, state, and private; and in a variety of conditions, each requiring a specific conservation strategy. Many years have passed without a comprehensive assessment of these plants’ status in the state, and, more importantly, the specific roles Indiana needs to play, to contribute toward their conservation, in the context of Recovery Planning. This project will specifically address tasks in existing Recovery Plans pertinent to Indiana populations of each species. The project will also fill the need to provide specific data for the Indiana population of the candidate species. This project is also needed because plants are not addressed specifically in the State’s Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy.

OBJECTIVE:
The objective will be to complete comprehensive status assessments for all six federally listed and candidate plants, and to develop conservation strategies to insure their survival in Indiana, within the context of Recovery Plans. The project will completed over a two year period.

This project will bring known data on federally listed and candidate plants in Indiana up- to-date and it will provide a report summarizing conservation strategies and future needs, for all partners’ use. For example, a report for Short’s goldenrod, will include specific population data, specific threats, proposed management strategies, and research needs. Since Short’s goldenrod occurs on Division of Forestry land, the report will be shared with them to inform any property management decisions as part of their regular function. This will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship with Forestry, insure that they are aware of the best information available for Short’s goldenrod, and provide population specific guidelines to help insure species survival.

APPROACH:

Examine historical data, literature, and Natural Heritage data to determine current status for each species.

Determine protection, management, and monitoring needs.

Examine Recovery Plans for each species and determine Indiana’s role in the conservation of each species.

Develop a list of future needs for each species.

Summarize the information in a report which will be made available for use by partner agencies and organizations. The report will update existing Status Assessments for the Indiana portion of the range of each species; provide protection, management, and monitoring recommendations, based on each species’ Recovery Plan; provide a list of future research and data gap needs for each species. Items 1, 2, and 3 will be completed in year one; items 4 and 5 will be completed in year two.

REPORTING:
Since the project covers a two year period, an interim report will be provided at the end of the first year.

COMPLIANCE:
This work will involve research and existing data compilation only, and will not involve any on-the-ground activities. This activity complies with categorical exclusion 516 DM6 1.4B1, information collection activities with negligible animal mortality or habitat destruction.

LOCATION:
The work will take place at the Central Office of the Division of Nature Preserves, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is Indianapolis, Indiana.